ATU Debate team has successful first tournamentThe ATU Debate and Forensics team recently competed in their first tournament of the year, the “Weevil Wars” tournament hosted by the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM). The ATU debaters competed in three divisions of the International Public Debate Association (IPDA) debate: team, individual novice and individual varsity debate. Twelve debaters traveled to and competed in this tournament. In the varsity division, ATU was represented b...

The Great Sequoyah CampoutStudents at Sequoyah Elementary School sing camp songs at the seventh annual Great Sequoyah Campout held Thursday at the school. The campout broke last year's attendance record by 78 with 340 campers attending. Students enjoyed rotating through four stations including: "Leave No Trace" under the direction of Robert Duggan, "Native Americans From This Area" with Sasha Bowles, "Leaf Art" directed by Ashley Bryan, Julie Oxendine and Denise Wiedow...

Tax hearing may affect HectorHECTOR — Superintendent Walt Davis told the Hector Board of Education during its regular meeting Monday that a tax assessment hearing may affect the district. A tax assessment hearing of an appeal by a gas company operating in the district might affect the district, Davis said. Under the present assessment, the district anticipates $90,000 in tax revenue. He told the board there have been no "out-of-line" expenditures or changes in revenue so ...

Dardanelle board reorganizes membersDARDANELLE — The Dardanelle Board of Education selected Jerry Don Woods as its new president during its monthly meeting on Tuesday. Board member Sherry Hicks, whose term will end in 2015, previously served as president. The board appointed Jerry Dawson to vice president, Brandon Carter to secretary, Woods to disbursing officer and Jody Sigle to an alternate position. "The last two years have been busy at the district. We have accomplished a lo...

Vaccination shortage delays flu clinicsA shortage of vaccinations has altered flu clinic plans in Pope County. The flu clinic at Crawford Elementary will continue as planned on Thursday morning, as well as the flu clinic at Upper Elementary 5th Grade and Russellville Middle School on Thursday afternoon. However, flu clinics at Russellville Junior High, Russellville High School and the Secondary Learning Center are postponed until further notice. Pope County Health Department Admini...

Atkins to save 'more than anticipated'ATKINS — Financial Adviser Dan Lovelady told the Atkins Board of Education during its regular meeting Monday that the district received a better interest rate on a refunded bond than he expected, which equates to greater savings. "The rate itself was about five basis points higher than we were hoping for," Lovelady said. "We were hoping for a 3.25 and wound up getting a 3.30. The way Ross, Sinclaire structured the issue and lumped several of t...

OTA program hosts continuing education classOZARK — The Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus occupational therapy assistant program will host “Vision and How it Affects Learning” with Dr. Wanda Vaughn, developmental optometrist with the Arkansas Vision Development Center. The class is free and will be from 10-11:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, in the Chambers West Dining Hall at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville. The class provides opportunity for professionals to earn one continuin...

Students donate to horseback riding nonprofitArkansas Tech University students presented the Equestrian Zone a $1,200 donation on Tuesday. ATU Sigma Tau Delta students raised the money through its second annual book sale, which was coordinated through Vintage Books. “Both of these organizations are yearly supporters, and we are thankful for their generosity,” Equestrian Zone Director Jodi Kusturin said. “It means a lot for college students to give their time and money.” Sigma Tau Delta i...

Dover students honored for high test scoresDOVER — Thirty-one Dover High School students learned during an annual ceremony on Tuesday that it pays to do homework. The awards ceremony honored Advanced Placement (AP) students who earned high scores on their AP exams at the end of last semester, amounting to more than $3,000 in gift cards among the Dover high schoolers. Students who scored a three, four or five on the five-point scale in either the English, math or science AP exams were a...

Hector's public report goes unattendedHECTOR — Is a public meeting public if the public doesn't meet? The required annual report to the public and Title I meetings held Monday evening were attended by the five Hector school board members and 10 district employees, most of whom were there to report on programs in which they were involved. Superintendent Walt Davis began the meeting listing new facilities and programs for the current school year, including the opening of the new ele...

Faculty, students to present at TWS NationalSeven representatives from the Arkansas Tech University fisheries and wildlife program — three faculty members and four students — have been invited to present at The Wildlife Society national conference in late October at Pittsburgh, Pa. Dr. Chris Kellner, professor of wildlife science, and Alyssa Bangs, graduate student, will present their work on the morphology and behavior of central fence lizards in thermally different habitats. Dr. Tom N...

All Hallows Eve Concert, Haunted Housing setCLARKSVILLE — University of the Ozarks will present a pair of on-campus Halloween events for the local community during the last week of October. At 7 p.m. Oct. 27, Walton Professor of Music Dr. Sharon Gorman and the University Chamber Singers will present the annual All Hallows Eve Concert in Munger-Wilson Chapel. On Oct. 28, the Residential Hall Association will sponsor its annual Haunted Housing event for children 12-and-under in the commun...

Yearly flu vaccinationsDwight Elementary School first-grader Gidian Fuller grimaces Monday afternoon as Russellville School District nurse coordinator Annie Schanink administers a flu vaccine. Flu shots will be given to Oakland Heights and London students on Tuesday, Sequoyah students on Wednesday, middle school students on Thursday, high school and Secondary Learning Center students on Friday, and Crawford and high school students on Monday.

Billingsley Smith wins runoffDOVER — Angie Billingsley Smith will join the Dover Board of Education after defeating Shawn Bates in a runoff election Tuesday. Billingsley Smith received 224 votes, which was a little more than 58 percent, while Bates received nearly 42 percent with 161 votes. "I'm very excited," Billingsley Smith said. "I look forward to bringing positive change and growth." A total of 386 votes were cast Tuesday, with one under vote. Billingsley Smith rece...

ATU investigates threatsA misunderstanding gave some Arkansas Tech University (ATU) students a scare Monday evening. A bomb threat was sent via email to an ATU athletic coach Monday that threatened the Chartwells Women's Sports Complex, which was immediately evacuated and searched, according to an update on campus security email sent to students on Tuesday. Concern spread as students evacuated from the sports complex returned to their residence halls and told staff m...

CenturyLink to connect teachers with technology by offering $20,000 in grants in ArkansasCenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) is connecting teachers with technology for the classroom. The CenturyLink Clarke M. Williams Foundation’s Teachers and Technology grant program opened its application process Oct. 1 for teachers in CenturyLink’s local service areas who want to innovatively implement technology in their classrooms to increase student achievement. Full-time PreK-12 classroom teachers in public or private schools in CenturyLink resid...

Peever honored at school board meetingCLARKSVILLE — Seven-year Clarksville School District staple Jo Ella Peever was recognized during the Clarksville Board of Education meeting Sept. 29. Assistant Superintendent Steven Wyatt honored Peever on her retirement from the district, where she has served as a psychological specialist. In other business, the board approved: • The resignation of Betty Barkley, food service; Jim Douglas, bus driver; Tracie Lovell, migrant tutor, Carla McCan...

Dover seat decided TuesdayDOVER — The five-year term on the Dover Board of Education will be decided during Tuesday's runoff election. Michael Joe Hemmer announced earlier this year he would not seek re-election to the seat after serving five years on the board. During the annual school board election Sept. 16, Angie Billingsley Smith and Shawn Bates emerged from a pool of five candidates as the top vote getters, sending them to a runoff election. Billingsley Smith net...

Meteorologist visits Dover kindergartenersDOVER — Dover Elementary students were able to practice severe weather safety during stormy conditions on Thursday. Kindergarten students were visited by KARK meteorologist Greg Dee on Wednesday. In addition to learning weather safety procedures, the students were filmed for a segment called "Good morning Greg. What's the weather like today?" The segment will air at 6:14 a.m. on Monday and 6:44 a.m. on Tuesday. Kindergarten teacher Casey Taylo...